


The Thought That Counts

by ParadoxProphet



Category: Dangan Ronpa, Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: Birthday Cake, Birthday Presents, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-31
Updated: 2014-08-31
Packaged: 2018-02-17 03:21:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2294897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ParadoxProphet/pseuds/ParadoxProphet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Surprising someone on their birthday is harder then it sounds. Especially when everything starts going wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Thought That Counts

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to write something for Ishimaru's birthday so I rushed to get this finished.

Ishimaru had never been more confused in his entire life. His whole morning had been strange. His classmates had been brushing him off, his best friend Oowada said he was too busy, and he hadn't seen a sign of Matsuki anywhere. She wasn't at breakfast, her room was empty, and her best friend Katsuya hadn't seen her all day. He had even checked the art room to see if she had been painting a new masterpiece, but it was empty. This didn't make sense, what could everyone be doing on a Sunday that made them too busy to say "hello"? And where did Matsuki go to? Did he do something wrong?

Giving up on the search for the painter, he decided to head to the library and study on his own. He didn't have time to be searching for her anyway. But fate had other plans. Upon reaching the second floor, he happened to see Matsuki coming down from the third floor. And she saw him. A look of shock spread across her face as she clutched something to her chest. Without a moment to spare, she tried to make her way to the first floor. "Sorry Ishimaru-senpai I have plans today so we'll have to spend time together later okay bye!" she blurted out as she made her way past the hall monitor.

"Matsuki-kun, wait!" Ishimaru called out to her. "Where have you been all morning?"

"Can't talk right now, gotta go!" Matsuki shouted back as she went down the stairs.

That seemed strange. Matsuki had never acted this way towards him before. Sure, she would get flustered for reasons he didn't understand, but this was something different in it's entirety. It was almost as if she was trying to avoid him. But why would she do that? She always enjoyed being in his company.

Maybe he was just overthinking things. Matsuki did say she was busy, that was probably all there was to it. But something about this made him feel like his heart was sinking. And he couldn't help but feel as if he was forgetting something.

\------------------------------

Later that evening...

"Wow, this looks great, Nishioka-kun!" Matsuki said. "It's perfect!"

The pattisiere nervously laughed. "Oh come on, Matsuki-san. I wouldn't call it perfect." he said.

"Well I think it's perfect." Matsuki said. "This is the best cake I've ever seen! And I couldn't have done it without your help!"

"Glad to be of service, then!" Nishioka said.

Matsuki glanced up at the clock in the kitchen, the face read 7:15 p.m. "It's a bit late, but I still have time. I just have to go find him. Thanks again for the help!" She put the cake in a box and headed out of the kitchen.

Nishioka smiled back and waved. "Good luck!" he said.

"Thanks!" Matsuki said. She left the kitchen and made her way out of the dining hall. Now where would Ishimaru be at this hour? Would he still be in the library, or did he go back to his room? She thought for a moment and decided to head up to the library. Thoughts began racing through her head. Would he like the cake? What if it wasn't the flavor he liked? What about the present she had for him? No, she couldn't think negatively about these things. She worked hard all day trying to get these ready in time. Besides, it's the thought that counts.

Making her way to the second floor, she walked towards the library and stood outside the doors and preparing herself. She took a deep breath and played things out in her head, thinking of just what she was going to say. She opened the box, taking one last look at the cake. She could do this, she just had to believe in herself. This was going to be perfect!

Or at least it was, until someone's arm bumped into her and caused her to fall forward. She shrieked as she fell, being silenced by a squish sound from under her. Oh no, she hoped that sound didn't mean what she thought it did. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" A female voice said as the painter felt herself being pulled up. "I didn't notice you there, are you alright?" A girl with short red hair asked her.

"Her clothes aren't, that's for sure!" A blond-haired girl in a kimono said. Matsuki looked down and saw that her chest was covered in frosting. Horrified, she turned around and saw the cake on the ground. It was squished and the frosting was messed up. All her hard work had gone to waste. Now what would she do?

"Matsuki-kun? What happened?" Matsuki looked at the library doors to see Ishimaru starring at her with worry. Oh no, this wasn't happening. Now he had seen everything. This was a disaster. Ashamed of herself, she ran away with tears in her eyes and left the two girls and Ishimaru where they stood. She ran down the stairs and into the dormitories, entering her own and shutting the door behind her. Everything was ruined, she screwed up her chances. Disheartened, she took off her frosting-stained uniform and changed into a pair of pajamas. Hopefully she had some time to wash it out before bed. She put her clothes into a basket and reached for the door handle, but paused upon hearing a frantic sounding knock. Confused, she opened the door to find Ishimaru standing there. "Matsuki-kun, are you alright? What happened back there?" he asked.

"I...I..." Matsuki tried to talk, but tears formed in her eyes again and she found herself crying. "I screwed up." she managed to say.

"W-what are you talking about? I don't understand." Ishimaru said, slightly startled by her crying.

"I...I...I..." Matsuki tried to say through hiccups. Before she had the chance to say anything, she felt Ishimaru's arm wrap around her and hold her tightly. Was Ishimaru hugging her?

"It's alright, Matsuki-kun." Ishimaru said in his best attempt at being soothing. "Just calm down and tell me what's happened." He stood there for a moment, giving her the chance to stop crying. A few minutes passed, and the painter managed to calm down enough to tell him what happened.

"I was hoping to surprise you today, so I spent all day making you a present and a cake." Matsuki explained. "That's why I was avoiding you earlier, I didn't want you to find out when I wasn't ready. I even had Nishioka-kun help me with the cake so I didn't mess it up. But then..." She walked over to the table in her room and picked up the slightly crushed box. "When I came to find you, someone bumped into me and made me fall. And your cake got messed up." She showed him the squished cake. "After all the trouble I went through, I couldn't give you the surprise I wanted..."

"You wanted to surprise me? But why?" Ishimaru asked.

"Don't you know what day it is, Ishimaru-senpai?" Matsuki asked, wiping away some stray tears with her arm.

"It's Sunday of course!" Ishimaru answered.

"Well, yeah, it is Sunday, but that's not what I meant." Matsuki said. "Today's August 31st. Your birthday. Unless Oowada-senpai gave me the wrong date."

Of course, that was what he had forgotten! Today was his birthday! "Oh, yes! That's right!" Ishimaru said. "I'll be honest, my family never did anything extravagant for my birthday. We never had that much money."

"Oh, I see." Matsuki said.

"Thank you very much for the cake, Matsuki-kun!" Ishimaru said with a smile. "I'm sure it tastes delicious!"

"You don't care that it got squished?" Matsuki asked with hope in her voice.

"Of course not!" Ishimaru said with a hearty laugh. "It's the thought that counts, isn't it? Besides, I've never gotten a cake on my birthday before, and it's a cake that you made, which makes it even more special!"

Matsuki blushed at that comment. "T-t-then should I get you your present?" she asked.

"That can wait!" Ishimaru said, wrapping an arm around her waist. "Besides, the only present I need is your company, Matsuki-kun!"

Matsuki giggled, resting her head against Ishimaru's chest. "Then I'll just spend the rest of the day with you." she said.

Ishimaru smiled. "I think I'd like that very much."


End file.
